Is This the World’s “Warmest” City?

Bergen has the world’s largest gingerbread city. 18 miles north, Knarvik has the world’s first and largest woolen city: Woolen houses and people in all shapes and colors makes “Ullbyen” (Wool City) – probably the only one in the world.

Bright colors in pink, yellow and turquoise. A football stadium made from wool, flowers and small woolen houses. It is easy to get fascinated by the furry and colorful art.

Last year, the idea for Wool City was born. Anne Merete Solbakken at Hillesvåg Wool Factory and a colleague invited local schools to contribute. They organized courses for the teachers, and along with Knarvik Mall, they sponsored the material.

However, they had no idea what they started when they gave 23 primary schools in the Nordhordland area colorful wool, needles and artistic freedom.

– It was an incredible enthusiasm among the teachers, and it has clearly rubbed off on the pupils, says Solbakken to local newspaper Avisa Nordhordaland.

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Wool City consists of a football stadium, robots, lighthouses, a farm and a collection of small houses and people. The entire 2200 square feet city is on display at the local mall in Knarvik.

– One can walk here for hours looking at all the little details the children have created. I am impressed with what they have achieved, she continues.

It has been extensive work for the pupils, and studying wool has been their homework. It took about two weeks to create a wool church or a wool house with a woolen family.

Solbakken expects that there are about 2000 houses in Wool City. The exhibition is part of the event “Ullveka 15” (Wool Week 15).

– The main goal at Ullveka is that kids should have better knowledge about Norwegian wool. Therefore, we invited them to a creative project using wool as raw material. This is perhaps the only one of its kind – definitely, the largest – woolen city we know, Solbakken concludes.